[M] The Proving Grounds: Lost to Time and Fate [Private RP] OOC
In all the multiverse, there is only one force strong enough to utterly conquer time and space. A force that leads us to great heights of glory, and even greater heights of depravity. An unseen hand said to guide us through life, putting us completely at its mercy as it prepares us for an ultimate goal too enigmatic for most mortals to fathom.
That force is destiny.
There are some with aspirations so grand - with journeys so utterly monolithic - that death itself cannot halt the fulfillment of their destinies. These unlikely heroes are defined not by their martial strength or skill, but by their conviction. Their destiny burns so brightly that it becomes something of a physical force, an aura of certainty and power that surrounds them like a nimbus.
But one question remains.
Are we the masters of our destiny? Or does our destiny master us?
You were a warrior. Perhaps you fought for justice, for family, or for personal gain - but fight you did. As the days turned to years, you came to realise that this was your purpose. Your reason for living. Battle was in your blood, and it was the only way to achieve the lofty goal that you kept hidden from the world. You guarded that goal closely, treasuring it in your heart.
Of course your foes could never understand. They might have labelled you a monster, unaware of the importance of your quest. They may have seen you as a hero - recognising the reasons for your valor, but never truly comprehending. None of that mattered. Your goal was worth the bloodshed. It was worth the pain, the misunderstanding, the anguished howls of the families of your slain foes, and fallen comrades.
Some things are worth dying for.
And yet even as you stood on the cusp of victory, as that seemingly unattainable goal was finally within your sight… You came to learn that even you were not invincible. Perhaps it was a simple stroke of misfortune that spelled your defeat, or perhaps you were finally outmatched. Either way, you fell - your aspirations snatched cruelly from your gasp. Bleeding, battered, and broken - you clenched your fists and screamed out a desperate plea. It could not end like this. It would not end like this.
And something in the vast expanse of reality was listening.
When you opened your eyes, you found yourself standing in a serene field of golden grass. You had been offered a second chance, your body was healed, and your power was as real as ever. The mysterious figure who greeted you was courteous and kind. He informed you that you had been selected to enter the Proving Grounds - a magical dimension designed to test the conviction and might of fallen heroes from across time and space. The worthiest of these would be allowed to take part in the Trial of Destiny - a final tournament to prove once and for all which hero, or which villain would fulfill their dreams. For the ultimate prize of this tournament was a way to finally achieve the goal that eluded you in life. The granting of a wish, no matter how extraordinary - or seemingly impossible.
I trust you have had time to ponder my earlier question? Perhaps it will demand an answer at a later date. For now, I suppose introductions are in order. I am the Magistrate, and it is my desire to realise your destiny. Doing so will not be easy, for there are others who burn as brightly as you do. They are your ultimate challenge. Show the strands of fate that your dream deserves to be realised. Show the universe that you are destined for greatness.
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A Quick Note to My Players
To everyone who is in the original RP (Undying Quest: The Proving Grounds) I just wanted to let you know that you aren't missing out on any story, or are being ignored or shafted because of this. I am running this on request, and am doing it purely as an alternative version of the main game. This will not take the place of a sequel, and I intend it to have no impact or bearing on the main game.
The Proving Grounds
While the Trial of Destiny takes the form of a more conventional arena, the Proving Grounds are actually a small plane of reality, subject to constant magical changes, and rife with strange and exotic terrains. The area is more of an open-world sandbox, filled with challenges, both from other heroes, from monsters, or other problems that may need to be solved without combat at all. Winning every battle you fight here is useful in proving yourself, but it is not everything. Those chosen to enter the Trial of Destiny and earn the right to battle for their wish to be granted need to demonstrate other traits too. Determination, courage, resilience, cunning, or any number of other qualities. Death in this stage is temporary, and resurrection will be swift. It is possible for somebody to die numerous times and still prove themselves worthy of entering the Trial of Destiny.
Powers and Abilities
These can range from magical abilities like pyrokinesis, to combat skills like exceptional agility or swordsmanship. Basically this entails any power that your character will make use of in combat. I am open to creativity, and will likely not be too harsh in judging these. The number of abilities depends on how powerful they are, and how reliant your character is on the use of one specific ability. For example, a mage who specialises in creating, manipulating and controlling fire might have these as his only abilities because he is extremely focused on it. If your character does possess a very powerful tool like teleportation, or the ability to stop time, it must have serious limitations.
Spoiler: Rules
1) Abide by all RP rules, including the Mature RP rules.
2) Your characters have been reborn in immortal bodies, and therefore will be resurrected if slain in the first stage of the game. However, if they fail to prove themselves they may not be allowed to partake in the Trial of Destiny, the final stage of the game. If they do, then character death is a very real option. There can only be one winner, after all.
3) Powers and abilities need to be fair, limited, and within a reasonable area of each other.
4) Try to remember that it’s not all about your combat skill. Your conviction, and the strength of your purpose will be just as important as your raw ability.
5) In the Proving Grounds, and especially in the Trial of Destiny, players will come into conflict with each other, or NPCs. I will be acting as a judge to ensure that everyone is playing fair and not overstepping their abilities. In turn, I will strive to be as impartial and fair a judge as possible.
6) Try to make posts of at least 2 literate paragraphs. I’m not going to hound you if it’s less than that, but it’s very helpful with keeping up the flow.
7) I’m open to suggestions and criticism, but at the end of the day - my word is final. Please feel free to talk about anything you like with me, though, and I will consider anything put to me.
8) Although there are some competitive elements, this is primarily a game, so have fun everyone!
Please place “My destiny lies beyond the Proving Grounds” at the bottom of your character sheet after reading these rules.
Spoiler: Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race: (Anything within reason, humans would be far more common than anything else)
Appearance: (Picture or written description. Both is preferable.)
Personality:
Weaknesses:
Powers/Abilities: (Try to not get too carried away.)
Other Skills:
Equipment:
Goal: (What is your reason for being here? What is your wish?)
History: (Detail goes a long way.)
Spoiler: Non-Heroic NPCs
TBA
Spoiler: NPCs
Spoiler: Kaern Tirisfal
Name: Kaern Tirisfal Age: 25 Gender: Male Appearance: Although fair-skinned, Kaern is reasonably tanned and weathered by years of adventuring. He has a smooth, healthy complexion and an ordinary face, which is handsome enough in a plain sort of way. His medium-length brown hair is wavy, and falls about his face - reaching his upper neck. He is not particularly tall, standing at 5’8, but he seems very fit, slender like a willow, although neither muscular nor an athletic masterpiece. He dresses in plain robes of grey and white, neither flashy nor ornamental despite his station. It would be common enough to mistake him for a simple hedge wizard or wandering mage.
Personality: Dutiful and compassionate, Kaern believes in doing everything he can to help people - even if it means sacrificing his own life to do so. He dedicated himself to magecraft not simply to increase his own power, but because he wanted a tool with which he could do good. He views magic in the same way as one might view any weapon. It is neither good, nor evil - but takes meaning from the one who wields it. Kaern is a pacifist in philosophy, who dislikes using force - but has come to terms with that fact that sometimes it is necessary in order to set things right and depose tyrants who will not back down otherwise.
In the Proving Grounds, he regrets being forced to bring his power to bear on others, but recognises it as a necessary sacrifice for the good of Sunharbor. That said, he would happily avoid all conflict if possible. His ultimate goal was once limited simply to bringing peace to Sunharbor and defeating the nefarious Anvor Tyrant, but since learning of the vast expanse of the universe as a whole, his goal has shifted to bring about a cessation to all warfare on a universal scale. Bringing peace for one world is not enough for him, he seeks it for every world. Some might say that his dreams are too grandiose and idealistic, but that is exactly why he fits so well into the Proving Grounds.
Always a maverick, Kaern finds tradition very problematic, as it establishes unnecessary regulations that may not be in a nation’s best interests, especially if time passes. He is very free-thinking, intelligent and creatively minded. He is an excellent problem solver, often thinking outside the box to solve problems that others would solve with straightforward logic. He is very lawful, but does not hesitate to bring about change to laws that do not work, or hinder the wellbeing of the people who rely on those laws.
He is humble, and tries to see the best in people - but in his youth was fiery in the way that he would deliver justice to those who he perceived had committed evil. Now he is more patient, and more prepared to listen to other perspectives. Although he tries to be wise, and does succed sometimes due to tutorship of his master, Archmage Nemarh, he is still young - and prone to making foolish mistakes or errors of judgment. He tries not to let his power or station get to his head - knowing that in that path lies the possibility of corruption. In life he practiced celibacy, as the Masterian order was dedicated to such vows. For that reason he is quite used to denying the advances of forceful women, but is not totally aesexual. If placed under magic or extreme situations, he could be seduced.
Tempted by Anvor Tyrant for the offer of power on pain of death, Kaern’s will was strong enough to resist, and allowed him to avoid becoming corrupt on two separate occasions. His fascination with an ancient temple of dark power once endangered him to being corrupted once more, but he managed to shrug off its effects, learning a valuable lesson in doing so. He is very curious, seeking constant insight into the way the world works, and various aspects of it. This has gotten him into trouble on several different occasions, including his run in with the dark temple.
Powers/Abilities:
Magical Items
The Master Staff of Godar Lord: One of the emblems of the Rainbow Festival - ancient artifacts crafted to ward off the armies of Anvor Tyrant - the Master Staff fell into Kaern’s possession following his ascension to the position of Runemaster of Masteria. It confers a shield of magical force to its bearer, which can deflect most ordinary attacks and magical weapons, but does fade after suffering enough damage - taking a full day to recharge. It confers to him the ability to cast each of his spells an additional time (not otherwise noted). The staff also has the ability to perform feats of healing, but only if carried by the rightful bearer. This denotes the Runemaster’s place as not only a mage, but a servant of the god of magic, known simply as “The Master”. If touched to a wounded victim, it can cure serious wounds and cure diseases, poisons and other negative effects. However, this power can only be used once per day on the same target. The staff has eight charges, and can invoke different elemental abilities each one costing one elemental charge. Each spell cast through the staff is less powerful than Kaern’s own spells.
Air: Lightning Bolt, Cloudkill
Earth: Web, Wall of Stone
Fire: Fireball, Wall of Fire
Ice: Ice Storm, Wall of Ice
In addition to these elemental powers, the staff also confers resistance to all forms of elemental damage. The staff has two additional powers, the ability to invoke a cone of paralysation, and conjure a whirlwind as a djinni. Both of these abilities cost a charge. The charges in the staff are restored after a full day.
Ring of Spell-Turning: Taken from the corpse of the dark elf priestess Eclavdra, this powerful ring is Kaern’s most prized possession after the Master Staff. With it, he was able to meet the magisters of Orvon in battle and live to tell the tale. Three times per day, it is able to reflect a spell targeted directly at the wearer back at the caster. This includes mind-affecting spells, and area of effect spells that are centred within a few feet of him.
The Lightstone: A magical stone found in the House of Godar Lord, capable of piercing any darkness - magical or otherwise - with a command word in the language of old Valyria.
Spells
Spoiler: First Level
Analyse: Allows the spellcaster to know the attributes of any item by touching it and through brief concentration.
Charm Person: Against a lesser mind, causes the victim to treat the spellcaster as a close friend for 24 hours, who they are very likely to obey. On a more powerful victim, they will simply perceive him in a much more friendly way. However after the 24 hours expires, they will be aware that they were charmed.
Detect Magic: Causes magically enchanted creatures and items to glow, but only the caster can perceive it.
Light: Causes a light that can be dimmed or brightened at will to appear either floating as an orb, or attached to an item. This spell can be directed at a victim’s eyes as a flash of bright light - causing temporary blindness.
Sleep: Only affects lesser creatures, causing them to fall into a deep slumber that can only be broken after an hour has elapsed or they are roughly shaken awake.
Comprehend Languages: Allows the spellcaster to comprehend and perceive any spoken or written language that he would not otherwise understand. This does not allow him to speak that language.
Spoiler: Second Level
Invisibility: The caster, or another target who the caster touches, becomes invisible until they make a hostile action.
Knock: Magically unlocks any locked door.
Mirror Image: Creates three illusionary doubles of the spellcaster.
Phantasmal Force: Creates any illusionary effect. Over time, victims will begin to become more and more certain of its non-existence, and will come to realise it is a mere fabrication.
Web: Strands of sticky arcane energy emerge in an area, constraining the victims inside.
Wizard Lock: Magically locks any unlocked door, cannot be unlocked without physically breaking the door down or using magical unlocking abilities.
Spoiler: Third Level
Dispel Magic: Dispels a magical enchantment, or other magical effect.
Fireball: Unleashes a fiery explosion on an area, causing large amounts of damage to those caught in the burst.
Fly: Allows the spellcaster to fly for 6 hours.
Haste: Causes the target to move at double speed for 6 hours.
Lightning Bolt: Unleashes a bolt of magical electricity in a line, inflicting large amounts of damage to those caught in the burst.
Protection from Missiles: Non-magical missiles fired at the spellcaster will fall harmlessly away, not finding their mark.
Spoiler: Fourth Level
Confusion: Causes enemies to become extremely confused, acting randomly. Opponents with a strong willpower will resist this effect, and normal powerful opponents simply become dazed, fighting with less efficiency.
Dimension Door: Allows the spellcaster to instantly teleport 360 feet in a given direction.
Ice Storm: Creates a howling blizzard in a large cube that inflicts large amounts of cold damage to those caught in the effect.
Polymorph Self: Transforms the spellcaster into another creature for six hours, with all the physical attributes of that creature - but none of its magical abilities (if any). Kaern has favoured the form of a White Kestrel before.
Charm Monster: A version of Charm Person that affects monsters. The most powerful of monsters will be unaffected by this power.
Spoiler: Fifth Level
Summon Elemental: Summons a powerful elemental, provided that there is sufficient amounts of a given element to summon the elemental. Elementals are more powerful when standing on their favoured element, and each is immune to normal weapons.
If the spellcaster somehow loses consciousness, the elemental will break free from its bindings - going on a raampge and attacking its own spellcaster with the intent of tearing him apart.
Feeblemind: Can only be used against spellcasters. This spell is at maximum effect against a spellcaster who is tired, or not particularly powerful. Once taken effect, the victim will be reduced to the intelligence of an animal, and totally lose its ability to cast spells. This can be removed using some sort of magical restoration or healing.
Telekinesis: Allows the spellcaster to move objects with his mind for one hour.
Hold Monster: Paralyses a monster. The more powerful the monster, the shorter amount of time it will be paralysed for.
Spoiler: Sixth Level
Geas: Subjects a target (no matter how powerful) to a magical compulsion or task. The victim must follow this task, and taking any actions contrary to it will cause them to suffer extreme amounts of psychic damage. Failing to fulfil the geas will be fatal in exactly one week, unless they are doing everything in their power to complete it. If the spellcaster is slain, the geas is broken. The spellcaster can remove the geas at any time.
Disintegrate: The victim unleashes deadly withering magic on a target or object, causing it to turn to ash. Powerful victims will not be instantly disintegrated, instead taking extreme amounts of damage. Should they be slain by the spell, their bodies will be turned to ash, along with everything they wear. This spell can be used on objects like boulders and weapons as well.
Invisible Stalker: Allows the spellcaster to create an invisible servant that will follow his will. This creature can be used as an assassin - which is the equal to a highly trained soldier in skill, and is very stealthy. This creature will only be given form for 24 hours.
Weather Control: Allows the spellcaster to control the weather in one of the zones of the Proving Grounds for six hours.
Spoiler: Seventh Level
Mass Invisibility: Functions as invisibility, but affects up to ten targets.
Power Word Stun: Stuns a victim, knocking them unconscious. This spell only stuns a more powerful enemy for a short period of time, after which they return to normal - after which they become dazed.
Reverse Gravity: Causes gravity in an area to become reversed for up to a minute.
Spoiler: Eighth Level
Force Field: Creates a barrier of impenetrable force, limited to a sphere, hemisphere or flat surface in shape. It can only be destroyed by a disintegration spell, and lasts for one hour.
Permanence: With this ability, the spellcaster can make one spell effect permanent. Kaern always has Truesight cast upon himself, and reserves his other use for making enchantments permanent if necessary.
Other Skills:
Weaknesses: Anti-magic and magical resistance is a very effective way to deal with him, as he has no physical capabilities. Emotionally, his compassion could easily be exploited - drawing him into a trap using an innocent person as bait. He does not have the cold, calculating sort of mind that is prepared to let one die to save the greater good. Even if he may want to act like this, he finds himself physically drawn to the aid of the weak. He has been in enough situations like this to generally take some precautions when entering situations like that, though. His curiosity could easily lead him to danger in the same way as his compassion.
Equipment:
Robes
Satchel with enough rations for a few days.
Goal: To bring a peaceful end to warfare in the multiverse.
History: Born to the son of a long-retired enchanter in the agricultural village of Goldfield, Kaern was always driven by the hunger for knowledge. This hunger led him to delve into the origins of the Rainbow Festival, and caused him to discover the threat posed by the distant lich Anvor, called Tyrant. While his father had wished to settle down and live a normal life, wishing that his son would not feel the call of magic, this wish would not be granted. Kaern developed startlingly quickly as a wizard during his teenage years, using his abilities to creatively solve common problems on the farm. His kingdom of Suneria was one where the clerics of the Sun God held great prominence, and Kaern felt an affinity for this god - viewing his tenets of compassion and community as excellent things in a world filled with strife.
When he was sixteen, a traveling, independent wizard by the name of Greystone took Kaern as his apprentice - and together the two had many journeys, most notably their adventure at the Keep on the Borderlands. There, Greystone and his young apprentice delved into the Caves of Chaos and uncovered a cult working secretly to further the dark agenda of Anvor Tyrant. As Kaern aged, he grew in ability quickly - and when he turned eighteen he was extended an invitation by the wizards of Masteria to join their ranks at the academy of Mortrissa. His time on the Isle of the Wise was very productive. There he studied diligently, earning a name for himself quickly among the tired ranks of stuffy by-the-books apprentices. Kaern saw a fundamental flaw in the system of magic that they were being taught. Many wizards believed as power as an end in of itself, and thought that magic was simply a tool to achieve power. Kaern, meanwhile, viewed power as a means to further the greater good.
Following three years of training, Kaern was now a fully-fledged wizard, a powerful spellcaster who had caught the eye of Runemaster (archmage) Nemarh - although more for his ideals than his power. At this time, though, Kaern received an urgent summons from the archbishop of Suneria, Hassan. Kaern arrived at Swordburg, where the cleric had taken up temporary residence - and there learned that his close friend and former mentor Greystone had gone missing after investigating the holdfasts of the various giant tribes in Jundheim, which lay east of his home in Suneria. Hassan informed the young mage that the giants seemed to be growing bolder in their attacks - and something dark seemed to be afoot.
Kaern traveled east, infiltrating the homestead of the hill giant chieftan Nosnra. Eventually discovered by the chieftain himself, Kaern was forced to summon an earth elemental from the earthen floor of the steading. The elemental and the hill giant did battle, with the elemental eventually slaying Nosnra. Kaern fled the area, but returned the next day under the guise of invisibility - finding a hidden underground level beneath the keep, and uncovering evidence that the giant tribes were uniting to invade the west, working alongside a mysterious individual named Eclavdra.
Kaern’s next destination was the glacial fortress of the frost giant jarl, but upon returning to Hassan he found that the archbishop had been murdered by dark elves, twisted servants of Anvor. Even worse, the dark elves had stolen the Silver Sun from Hassan’s corpse, one of the seven emblems of the Rainbow Festival. Kaern believed that they were in league with the giants.
Recalled to Masteria, Kaern met with Nemarh, who made him his apprentice at the last moment, and teleported a mighty paladin of the Sword God name Tarren True-Eye to Kaern’s side. Over the course of a few days Kaern came to know Nemarh, and then set off to retrieve the Silver Sun - teleporting both himself, and Tarren to the home of the frost giants. Eventually they came upon the frozen corpse of an elf warrior - left to intimidate any potential trespassers. Unfortunately, this was not the wisest move - as Tarren resurrected the elf, who introduced himself as Glendur, a hero trained in sword and spell - who had been sent from the elven kingdom of Kerioss on the same mission as Kaern. Kaern, Tarren and Glendur eventually found a teleportation device within the Jarl’s home that sent them to the hall of the fire giants.
In the hall of the fire giant king, Kaern and his allies learned that the dark elves who had murdered Hassan were very much allies of the giants. It seemed that Anvor was using their leader Eclavdra as an agent to incite war against the west. Kaern discovered a dark temple to a mysterious god, and soon his fascination with it caused him to have dark and disturbing dreams. Finally vowing to leave his curiosity behind, he turned away from the temple and focused instead on intercepting Eclavdra, who was still on her way back from her assassination of Hassan - using an underground tunnel carved out by stone giants. Unfortuantely, once they had made their way into the tunnels - they were forced to engage in a battle with a group of fire giants, whom the defeated. This roused the entire hall, meaning that the group at only one way to go - straight ahead toward Eclavdra and her forces.
Unfortunately, they found a small army of dark elves blocking their way. The three devised a desperate plan, but were interrupted by Nemarh himself teleporting into the chamber and giving them an opportunity to move past and into the main tunnel where Eclavdra would soon arrive. The party did battle with Eclavdra, and in the process Nemarh was killed due to the ring of spellturning that Eclavdra possessed. Kaern, Tarren and Glendur defeated Eclavdra, and Kaern took her ring for himself. They retrieved the Silver Sun, but Kaern was deeply affected by the loss of the man who he looked up to, and had become his personal mentor.
Kaern returned to Masteria to rest, hoping that the next runemaster would follow the same goals as he did. However, upon arriving he was informed that Nemarh had named him the next runemaster. Unfortunately - this led to a great deal of turmoil with the most powerful mages of the council. Three of them seemed to support his claim to the master staff - but the other three denied it. It was then revealed that the Master Staff possessed a power that only its rightful bearer could employ - healing magic. The other mages tried without success to harness that magic, but only Kaern was successful. In rage, one of the wizards - Arristan - stormed out of the chamber.
Kaern learned that the master staff had long ago been drained of most of its power due to it running out of charges - and the only way to recharge it was by taking it to its place of creation at the House of Godar Lord - the man who had forged it. There, Kaern braved a number of trials and eventually found a way to recharge the staff - which then became self-sufficient in the hands of its rightful wielder. Kaern returned to Masteria once more - but this time found it under siege.
Arristan had declared himself the true runemaster, and was carrying a false master staff crafted by Anvor Tyrant. Eventually Kaern’s companion Glendur was able to trick him into touching the Philosopher’s Stone, a magical artifact that would turn anything it touched into gold. Arristan quickly learned that “everything” included him. Now undisputed as master of Masteria, Kaern sent off his most trusted wizard Pindor to another realm, where Anvor’s forces were invading - seeking another emblem. There, Pindor and a contingent of elite mages did battle with the magisters of Orvon - a group of powerhungry spellcasters in many ways the antithesis of the Masterians.
Eventually Kaern himself was forced to travel to another part of Orvon - for the grand magister of that land had stolen another emblem for himself, the Riverstone. Staging an uprising as a diversion - Kaern drew out most of Orvon’s forces to one city far away, where he himself joined a group of druids to fight a desperate battle against the Orvonian wizards. Meanwhile, Glendur and a small group of allies made their way to the palace of the grand magister, slaying him and retrieving the riverstone. Both sides of the plan were successful, as Kaern survived the fierce battle - badly injured.
Unfortunately, Kaern had underestimated the tenacity of his foe. Returning once more to Masteria - he found that it had been besieged once more, by yet another dissatisfied spellcaster believing that they should be runemaster. Out of options, Kaern agreed to face his rival in a duel - but was tricked by a group of invisible archers armed with magical bows. They unleashed a rain of poisoned arrows on the runemaster, ending his quest for bringing about a world without war, untroubled by the schemes of Anvor Tyrant.
But it seems that destiny is not done with him yet.
Spoiler: Gruntharr Grimdour
Name: Gruntharr Grimdour
Age: 58
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Personality: Honourable, quick to act and decisive - Gruntharr has never found a problem that could not be solved with “Hammer”.
Powers/Abilities:
Stormbreaker: Stormbreaker is the name of Gruntharr’s hammer, and this weapon is a fine piece of dwarven craftsmanship and enchantment indeed. Far lighter, and more deadly than a normal greathammer - this weapon swings with double the force applied to it. Although not enchanted to inflict lightning damage, it is able to channel Gruntharr’s Fury of the Wild Storm ability. The weapon is also magically balanced for throwing, and returns to Gruntharr once thrown.
Ward of the Last Hall: Gruntharr’s armour is no less impressive than his hammer. It will shatter normal weapons that strike it, and is particularly effective against slashing and piercing weapons like arrows, spears, and sword. Magical weapons of this kind cannot pierce it, and repeated use will break them. Bludgeoning weapons can still cause trauma to Gruntharr’s body through the armour. His armour is inlaid with magical resistance, making him resistant to magic (although he is not normally so).
Fury of the Wild Storm: Gruntharr’s hammer crackles with electricity - and his next strike with it discharges a powerful shock of lightning into the victim’s body - conducting through normally non-conductive surfaces, and delivering powerful damage. A shockwave of energy reminiscent of a thunderclap then blasts the area around the primary victim of the attack.
Other Skills: Gruntharr is an exceptional warrior, one of the mightiest of his kind. He is a master with the greathammer, and relishes in unleashing devastating blows. He is also quite skilled in unarmed combat, and proficient in most martial weapons.
Weaknesses: Gruntharr is very straightforward and direct in his approach, and lacks subtlety. He does not have the uncanny tactical mind of some, nor is he a very adaptive warrior.
Goal: To bring his people salvation.
History: Unknown.
Spoiler: Abaddon Azrak Azera
Name: Abaddon Azrak Azera
Age: 874
Gender: Male
Race: Demon
Appearance:
Personality: Abbadon is very cunning, but narrow-minded. He is very hedonistic, finding joy in despair, torment, and anguish. That said, he is extremely good at gathering large numbers of followers, generally using a human garb to do so. He often uses trickery and false promises to achieve his ends. He is utterly self-interested, has no code of honour or moral principles. He is basically aesexual, and is only interested in sex when it can be used as a way to cause suffering to a victim. He plays on the fears and desires of humans to bring them into his fold, and uses magic to enforce this. He often masquerades as individuals with established reputations as a way to either ruin their lives and drink in their torment, or use their status to gain influence. In this way did he gain control of the disciples of the sun god, and turn their order into the One True Church of the Light Most Holy and Profound. He is fascinated by humans and their corrupt nature.
Weaknesses: Abaddon is at his most powerful when in the heart of his empire. The further he strays from the heart of this power, the less augmented his power becomes. He is vulnerable to holy weapons and magic, and when confronted with a being that he genuinely believes to be more powerful than he, he becomes quite cowardly.
Powers/Abilities:
Spreading Darkness: Abbadon designates a location to be the centre of his dominion. Spreading outward from that area, sentient creatures become slightly more susceptible to being influenced by Abbadon’s charisma. This effect spreads ever outward, encompassing more and more individuals. Whenever the majority of sentient creatures in an area have become Abbadon’s followers, the entire area counts as being under his control - and the negative emotions of those individuals begin to drain toward the heart of his kingdom, fuelling the innermost fortress of his empire. At the centre of this realm, Abbadon is greatly empowered by all of the negative emotions of his subjects. The further outward he goes, the less power he receives. Individuals count as Abbadon’s followers even if he has used force to convert them.
Vizsanctophrax, Cathedral of the Damned: As the negative emotions of Abbadon’s subjects begin to pour into the heart of his kingdom, they coalesce in the form of Vizsanctophrax. The place that he designated as the focal point of Spreading Darkness (generally a fortress, palace, castle or church) morphs into Vizsanctophrax over the course of five days. During that time, it slowly takes on the aspects of the original grand cathedral of the One True Church. A huge, fortified structure that is foreboding from without and beautiful from within.
It gains abilities as it takes form, and when is fully complete, it possesses all of them.
Day One: Abaddon can acutely sense magic within the cathedral’s walls, no matter where in the cathedral it is being manifested.
Abaddon can acutely detect anyone who enters the cathedral without his knowledge.
Day Two: An armoury forms in the cathedral that can provide a finite, but large amount of high-quality equipment. The amount that the armoury can supply magically increases based on the size of Abaddon’s domain.
Protective magic forms around the cathedral, making it resistant to magical attacks, and its walls immune to damage from siege weapons.
Day Three: An aura of power surrounds the cathedral. Ordinary soldiers and attackers will almost certainly refuse to assault it. Within the cathedral, Abaddon’s charisma takes on a supernatural charm-like quality.
All of Abaddon’s subjects, and Abaddon himself become immune to mind-affecting magic while within the cathedral.
The cathedral blocks all forms of scrying and teleportation magic targeted within its walls.
Day Four: Underground depths form beneath the cathedral. In this second level, a portal exists that calls forth demons from the darkest pits of hell. These demons are weak, minor demons - who appear bound in the form of human soldiers. Their purpose is to reinforce the armies of the One True Church.
Abbadon’s servants become more powerful when in the cathedral, gaining increased strength, skill and dexterity.
Day Five: Powerful angels are bound to the castle. They patrol its outer walls, acting as sentinels on silver wings. These celestial creatures appear as majestic holy beings, but are in fact fallen angels of death.
The cathedral acts as a source of pseudo-divine unholy energy that can act as a source for paladins and clerics to draw power from, thus allowing the One True Church to hold “legitimate” godly power.
Shadowspun Visage: Abaddon may spend one hour weaving a human body that he may then inhabit. It may take any form he likes, including the form of an existing human individual. As this is not an illusion, truesight will not betray the truth of him - nor will magic detection. The only thing that can see past the false body is the ability to read his mind directly. He may cast off that body at any time, but once he does so it takes him another full hour to form a new one (although it can be identical to the last form he chose).
Demonic Physiology: As a demon, Abaddon has the power of flight, infravision, regeneration, slight inherent magic resistance, and incredible strength, as well as above-average dexterity. He is vulnerable to holy weapons and magic. He bears powerful rending talons.
Other Skills: Abaddon is a cunning and deadly fighter in close combat. He is also a skilled and charismatic manipulator.
Equipment: In his demon form he is clad in netherforged armour, crafted in the darkest pits of hell.
Goal: To ascend to godhood.
History: Unknown. Died in an unknown fashion, at some point founded the Order of the One True Church of the Light Most Holy and Profound. After arriving at the Proving Grounds was whipped by Queen Tristana of Tsonia like a bad, bad boy.
Age: 205 – But appears late twenties early thirties
Gender: Female
Race: Homo-magi (aka Witch)
Appearance: At 5’10’’ Tristana is a royal and melancholy beauty who sharply attracts attention. The magic that pumps through her veins gives her presence something inhuman which can be felt even by the dullest of men. A potency and capability of power make her intimidating. While beautiful, her smile is odd on her face, seemingly forced even if the expression was heartfelt. It betrays her in diplomacy for her face rests on indifference she may or may not truly have. Tristana is left more elusive in her messages.
Mirrors always keep by her, a slowly swirling flock of glass that glints off her surroundings and her body while she moves in long leg stride wherever she goes. The mirrors at times have been noted to turn themselves and face those who are near her, forcing them to eerily look at themselves at glances while they pass by.
Personality:
Tristana prides herself in clarity of thought. Practicing Reflection the mind is the quality she has most confidence in herself with. Because of the disconnect her body can make in communication at times she may either dismiss others, feeling it too tiresome to correct her speech, or overly ask for the comprehension of those she speaking to – making her seem patronizing at the worst of times.
Adorning herself beautifully comes from her pride as a queen and it serves to help save her charismatic deficiencies. Gems, gold, jewelry and silk, she feels she needs these to keep herself moderately relatable. Personally she doesn’t have the desire to relate to others, but she understand it’s necessary in existence filled with other sentient beings.
Reflection has given her deep view of others – into their minds, and over the centuries of life she has learned most being’s wills and values are contrary to any worth. She herself can only respect those with high charismatic passion. When seen in her mirrors, no matter what the mirror shows, it is of worth. These are the people, with the ambition and the will above others, that are worthy of her attention.
As a Witch and a Queen she has the trained patience to endure others and also the strength of mind to correct and discipline. Enemies do not scare her for she can look deep into them and know the greatest vulnerabilities. A person she could not gaze into has never crossed her path, but it would be utterly terrifying. Tristana is not a classical academic – one who studies the sciences, but she is a mental academic for she studies all she can of those around her. Her understanding of them is her power and understandably her best social tool when she cannot convey herself well.
Her morality is grey and doesn’t favor any concepts of soulful punishments after life. In her own ruler ship she looked for the most practical solutions. As a woman her passions were given to the most driven, and she has had many lovers, their souls beautiful in her eyes. Meek and timid people offend her and have no place at her side. The exception has only ever revealed itself in children.
Powers/Abilities:
Tristana is a rare type of Witch who has access to Reflection the coveted magical power of her home world capable to delving deep into the heart of all sentient things. Mirrors are her tools and their view extends her perception beyond human comprehension.
Mirror Points – Tristana’s mirrors are not literal objects but illusions given solidity and tangibility when touched or interacted with. Having a total of eleven (11) mirrors out a time these are key reagent of all her magical practice. Some of her spells may require her to forfeit some mirrors for a time. (For the sake of the OOC they will be referred to as Mirror Points).
But they have magical, passive abilities she may use at any time.
In a day she can make ten (extra mirrors) but by the fifth one she begins to become winded and by the tenth very tired.
Current Mirror Points: 11/11 Mirror Points made today: 2/10
Reflection – taking any mirror by hand or willing it to move in front of a target and face them, Tristana will gain instant insight of their current emotional state, their fears, subconscious influences, and what their greatest ambition is. The more willpower they have, the more she personally can feel the strength of their desire to complete that ambition. Most minds feel weak in this regard, but there are special exceptions which can captivate her. The target must be caught with only a moment of eye contact with the mirror for this to work. Closing their eyes or looking away allows the mirrors to do nothing.
Repulsion – The mirrors can absorb projectiles of any magnitude (so long as they fit in the dimensions of the glass) and either hold onto the projectile or shoot it back. Any projectiles larger than the mirror will be absorbed but the mirror (losing one Mirror Point) will be lost as well.
Inventory – Tristana can put items into her mirrors to be held. Each mirror can hold one object and if the mirror is lost, the object will fall to the ground. (Depending on how many mirrors are up, either GM or I will have to roll to see which mirror was broken and number which mirror is holding something)
Current mirror-held inventory: None.
Sentry – Her mirrors are semi-sentient. They may alert her to dangers their point of views (the front of the mirrors) can see. These messages transmit into her mind regardless of her state of consciousness. They also have a basic sense of protecting Tristana and will do what they can to utilize themselves as a hive to the best of their ability to thwart any dangers nearing her vulnerable body or those she commands to be protected from. They will even sacrifice themselves for spells if the threat is seen great enough.
Mirror Spells –
At the cost of Mirror Points she may utilize this branch of her magic.
Nightmare - A mirror presented before a target will bring into its window the target’s greatest fear. While the target will not loose connection to reality and understand they are looking into a mirror, they will experience dramatically heightened paranoia. What this paranoia leads them to do is solely based on the target and the mirror has no influence over it. It fans the flames, but how they burn is different for each target. This feeling will persist for four hours unless dispelled. Only those of the greatest wills or virtues resist this. (Costs one(1) Mirror Point)
Lesser Flash - A trio of mirrors may come together and form either in a wall before a target or a small group and shoot out blinding light from their glass at the target. They can persist and follow the target with this blinding display for two minutes until the mirrors fade away. (Costs three(3) Mirror Points)
Mirrorguard - Tristana can fuse her mirrors to form a semi sentient Mirrorbeing that will serve as her guardian and servant in what way she needs. A cloaked swordsman, the Mirrorguard is of great skill requiring highly veteran or trained swordfighters to meet its skill. Its body is a magical construct that feels cold and fleshy to the touch. It must either be directly attacked in the mirror ‘face’ or over half of its body destroyed before it breaks. Being a fleshy construct, it is capable of enduring anything bone crushing and blunt trauma to the body (except the mirror face) for it is boneless. But, slashing and piercing attacks will go through its body as it would any human. The figure is six(6) feet tall with the strength of three(3) men.
It can connect with the hive mind of the other mirrors to protect Tristana is she is able to not defend herself or give command but will not leave further than eyesight away from her unless she commands so. While it is active it requires the use of five(5) Mirror Points. Tristana may have the Mirrorguard break apart to gain her Mirror Points back.
Spoiler: Mirrorguard
Baleful Flash - Using seven(7) of her Mirror Points, seven of her mirrors can come together and form a wall focused on a target or a large group of people and render them blind until magically lifted of the magic or a day’s time passes. Unlike Lesser Flash this is truly blinding unless the target is magically resistant, then it will dull their sight as the Lesser Flash would have. These mirrors do not persist and release a single burst often being a finale to the target(s) eyesight for twenty four hours.
Scatter - Using her hive of mirrors, Tristana can magically travel into them. Entry into her mirrors takes her to the Plane of Reflection. An endless ground of mirrors and blackness make this place. It is her haven and while she may find shelter her, this plan has no items in it other than what she had brought in through her mirrors prior.
From here the mirrors will fly and go as she wills. At her trickiest she can use this as a form of deception to hide among the decoration as a mirror in a building. She may have the mirrors turn into a single mirror of her chosen dimensions or fly as the group. To kill Tristana one must break all the mirrors for she may escape out of any one mirror. When she willfully steps out, all the Mirror Points she had will be lost. (Costs eleven(11) Mirror Points)
Reflection Witch Physiology – Tristana has an aura of magic and has mild resistance to magic (to illusionary magic or mind control she has near immunity). She is immune to her own magic, unable to harm herself with it. As a powerful Witch her lifespan may exist for hundreds of years.
Weaknesses:
Mirror Destruction – If all her mirrors are broken it will remove her connection to Reflection. It is a violent thing for a Witch to be ripped from her magic, and it will make her heavily lethargic and dazed until she can focus enough to make more Mirror Points or if out for the day, must suffer in this state until she may regain her points.
Her mirrors may be slashed at to be broken, smashed, or fired upon with large enough projections.
Passionate Seduction – Those who Tristana can explore through her mirrors and see as exceptionally powerful of the mind have an easy ability to sway her as she is thrilled to explore their mind and even bodies. They are her mental blind spot (which she believes she has none).
Other Skills: Tristana knows how to command others as a leader. She is a capable cook, knowledgeable aracanist, skillful dancer, experienced lover, and moderately knows her way around a dagger.
Equipment:
Currently nothing but what she is wearing.
Goal: To know the truth of all beings and return back to Tsonia to continue her rule.
History:
Born into the royal family of Tsonia, she was marked as a Reflection Witch. The rarer power among the witches. What made her even more odd was the royal Gabos family was known to be mundane - this magic spark seemingly coming out of nowhere. There were whispers of affairs by the lower political hierarchy and the magical covens that had wiggled their influence into rulership. Her parents disregarded it, but growing up the speculation never died.
She was taken into the Spellfeather coven by order of her royal family. The oldest magical group of Tsonia, it had once threatened to take control of the nation until the Gabos family had founded The Suppressors - the anti-magical knighthood to keep the covens in check. There was a natural tension for Tristana to mature into. In her home life the castle walls whispered of a broken marriage, and in the halls of her place of study she could hear the airs of cutting bitterness.
Her relationship with mirrors bloomed in the rejection and the anger. Her young eyes falling on herself to come into understand where she placed herself. The world came to judge her but Tristana was able to be self-aware enough to become unshakable. In her adolescent years Tristana began her games with the mirrors. The witches who trained her without choice were being watched in their own homes unknowingly. Mirrors that rest so peacefully on their walls being her gateways into their truths.
Spellfeather was put to death for she had discovered their building plot to manipulate her against the royal family and take the throne for themselves. Tristana didn't enjoy watching their blood, but she did enjoy knowing just how magnificent the power of Reflection was. Her reputation silenced everyone. The subterfuge of the political games was so heavily in her favor it set order her own father hadn't been able to manage.
The blood of her Witch genetics kept her young for a very long time. But both of her parents didn't have this benifit, aging so rapidly through the stages of decrepitness. She was but a young woman when they both passed of natural causes. The Reflection Queen. The Royal Witch ruled with something harsher than an iron fist: an ever watchful eye. In a world of many races, Tsonia had never been so one minded in their causes and functionality: her intimidation brought a new level of nationalism to a growing generation.
Tsonia swallowed several city states and two nations, taking almost a half of the planet. Leaders of the other nations quivered under the woman who could peer into their very souls. There was no other magic like it, and nothing to keep their truest selves away from Tristana's fancy. Proclaimed both a historical leader and warmonger, Tristana promised to her father's legacy to continue the nation as far as it would go. It wasn't personally her wish, but it was the deep drive of her entire bloodline. As this unique figure of magic and opportunity it would have been foolish to ignore the chance.
Unfortunately this nature and her wonderful execution of Gabos' will left her romantic nature shaky. No suitor wanted their very depths laid bare to a woman who could kill them at will by either magic or command. No suitor could endure her long. Sex and mental foreplay were easy. She could attract lovers by her power, and her beauty, but she could never keep them. And gradually her desire to search for love among the exceptional of her people dwindled. They didn't see as an asset to execute their ambitions but a roadblock. The deep fault of highly ambitious people was their competitive nature. And if she was too successful, too powerful, it produced more of the envious than the amorous.
Her death wasn't a classic betrayal of her people - she would have seen it coming. Nor was it a raid of an another army, it was an outcast Witch who still kept to the teaching of Spellfeather even as its existence had ceased decades ago. A traitor to the Tsonia and deserter, she had snuck back into the nation to cultivate the gathered power of all the slain Witches. In one powerful curse Tristana was victim of an unnatural withering of her body that was reminiscent of her parent's dying yet her flesh stayed young in its brittleness. The magical exchange between her and the curse was long, her fear keeping everyone at bay.
But the weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Whispers were beginning again: she's weak. What killed her finally was a Draconian spy who assassinated her in the sleep of her castle.
Killed, she has returned to full force back in this new world driven to know just how far the vices and evils run in the mind. Her mistake was being too successful in a world that had set itself against her.
I absolutely love your character concept (particularly abilities) - and the ability of
Reflection – taking any mirror by hand or willing it to move in front of a target and face them, Tristana will gain instant insight of their current emotional state, their fears, subconscious influences, and what their greatest ambition is. The more willpower they have, the more she personally can feel the strength of their desire to complete that ambition. Most minds feel weak in this regard, but there are special exceptions which can captivate her. The target must be caught with only a moment of eye contact with the mirror for this to work. Closing their eyes or looking away allows the mirrors to do nothing.
is really awesome in this particular setting.
So yeah, I have no problems with that - accepted.
In terms of destroying mirrors, would say - noise at the right frequency be able to shatter the glass like it would normally?
And also, it seems that an explosion would be a natural counter to her mirrors - effectively shattering them all - is that right?
Last edited by Evening Rain; 01-03-2017 at 11:06 AM.
As for the last point, that's true, actually - but they were both submitted around the same time and I was happy with Samael too - I was just particularly impressed with how much effort you seemed to put into your character. Keep in mind I didn't know what to expect at that point xD
That's really cool - I am somewhat hesitant about allowing her to send mirrors to all corners of the world and spy for her all over the place. I am thinking of maybe placing a distance limit on how far away from her the mirrors can be when she is not using her scatter ability that dismisses them anyway.
Also, her goal really isn't far short of omniscience. To know the truth of all beings is basically just another way to say it. That said I think it's a very fitting goal. But typically I would only really have you put down your main goal - the goal that led you to the Proving Grounds. Is that to know the truth of all beings or to return to her kingdom?
Returning to her kingdom might certainly be a goal of hers, but if it's not her "ultimate goal" that would be her reason for a wish - that's not the place for it.
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